Its Always Darkest before the Dawn
by choeyfan88
Summary: My view on what could happen when Maya returns


Its Always Darkest before the Dawn.

**A/N: Let's just let it be said right now, I have not seen the TV show Pretty Little Liars. I've read some of the books, but all I know about the show is articles I've read online and in magazines, and Youtube videos. If anyone knows when the first season will be released here in Australia, I'd appreciate the knowledge.**

**I apologise in advance if there is something in this story that isn't in the show. All mistakes are mine.**

**Please be nice if you review, this is my first fanfic. This is my view on what happens if Maya comes back.**

**I own no part of PLL, just my imagination. By the way, there's a reference to another show in here, particularly Aussie readers. I couldn't resist! Ten points if you get it!**

**This chapter is from Emily's point of view. Just 'cause I think Shay Mitchell is gorgeous.**

Chapter 1.

It's always darkest before the dawn.

I've never understood that expression. My dad used to tell me this all the time when I was growing up, and I've never been able to figure it out.

It's Monday morning, and I've just had morning practice in the pool. Standing at my locker, I'm trying to remember what class I have first period. 'Damn it'.

'You have American History first, remember?' I hear the rough flirtatious voice before I see her: Paige. We have slowly been spending more and more time together as Paige has tried to navigate the mine-field that is 'coming out'. I'll admit, I wasn't too keen on incurring the wrath of Nick McCullers, Paige's father, but there's just something about her. Is it the way her brown eyes sparkle when she grins at me? I honestly could not tell you why, but for whatever reason, I've fallen for her, and fallen hard. I know her father blames me, that I used the fact I'm gay to get into his daughter's pants… or in this case, swimming costume.

'Thanks' I say, smiling at her. Paige has really come along in leaps and bounds since she decided to come out. She didn't just come out of the closet, she broke the damn door down. Right now, she's sending me a salacious smile, not helped by the fact her hair is still messed up, the result of the kisses we shared in the locker room after practice until the warning bell sounded. She looks flushed, and her eyes glint, and I suppress a moan when she gently runs her finger down my arm. I can't help it; she has that 'I-just-got-fucked' look going on, and she knows I can't resist looking her over when she looks like that. Wearing fitted black jeans, a tight white tank-top and a leather jacket with biker boots, Paige looks stunning. I swallow roughly and glance away; Paige is giving me that sad look, where her bottom lip pokes out and she pouts at me. Usually I wouldn't care, but we have 5 minutes to get to class and I haven't grabbed my textbook. I glance in my locker, and groan. 'Perfect'.

Paige grins. 'What's wrong?'

'Left my textbook at home' I tell her, narrowing my eyes at her.

Paige gives me her innocent smile, and I lean against my open locker so I don't fall as my knees weaken. Crap, can never resist that. 'What?' she asks innocently, her eyes wide but with the hint of a smirk.

'I probably wouldn't have left my textbook at home if someone hadn't insisted on making out with me this morning, and jumping me last night' I tell her. Paige's eyes darken, and a smirk crosses her face.

'Well, its hardly my fault you're so sexy' Paige informs me. 'You seriously can't expect me to ignore this' she waves at my body 'forever, can you?' Then she pulls out a textbook from behind her back; _An Advanced Guide to American History_. The textbook I had left at home. 'I knew you had forgotten it, so you can borrow mine'.

I was confused. 'Wait, don't you need it?' I knew that Paige had AP Math first period, but I was certain that she also had History today. 'I don't want you to get in trouble for not having it'.

'Don't worry about it' she reassures me. 'Give it back to me at lunch; I have it after then'. Her eyes darken, and she leans close to me before whispering in my ear 'You can make it up to me during lunch'. As she says that, her fingertips tease my stomach underneath my shirt, raising goosebumps. A shiver runs through me, and she smirks before kissing me softly. The kiss deepens slightly as I lift my hand to her face and cup her cheek.

'Hey, Fields!' I pull back with a disappointed groan. Spencer Hastings, one of my best friends, walks up the hall. 'I'm pretty sure the team won't be impressed if the captain is suspended for making out with another team member when you have two minutes to get to class' she says drolly, a hint of the infamous Hastings' smirk on her face.

'Thanks Spence' I say dramatically, rolling my eyes.

'Hey, Paige' Spencer says. If no-one knows better, Spencer looks relaxed as she says it. But I can see that slight tightening around the eyes, and the fact her posture is minutely more rigid, and that tells me that being nice to Paige isn't something that Spencer enjoys. I know that Spencer, and our two other best friends, Aria Montgomery and Hanna Marin, can't understand why I've forgiven Paige for that little incident two months ago, when she attempted to knock me off my game and keep the captaincy and popularity that came with it. Spencer had seen, told the coach, and Paige was kicked off the relay team as the anchor. This kinda didn't help matters. Paige and I developed a rivalry that culminated in a winner-takes-all race at the Atwood Academy meet. Spencer has a not-very-obvious caring streak; she jumps in to defend her friends at any cost. Which is how she has ended up with a scar just above her eyebrow. Her protective streak is both a strength and a weakness, but it's who Spencer is, and we can't change it, nor do we want to.

'Hi, Spencer' Paige replies. 'How was your weekend?' This is one of those things that I love about Paige. She knows that Spencer doesn't like her, neither does Hanna, but that doesn't stop her from being nice to them. I think it's because I know that her frosty exterior is just a front.

'Pretty good' Spencer says frostily. 'Yours?' Paige smirks, I blush, and Spencer rolls her eyes. 'You know what, forget it. I don't want to know what happened'. She dramatically shuddered, and we laughed.

Suddenly, a voice behind us says 'Don't you have classes to be in right now?' We all turn. The principal is walking up the hall, and we all shrink a little, even though we're all taller than him.

'Sorry, sir' Spencer said, gripping mine and Paige's upper arms and dragging us away.

'Thank you for allowing me back, even if I have to repeat' an eerily familiar voice says. I stop dead in my tracks, stunned, and Spencer turns. Her eyes widen in surprise when she sees. Paige turns as well.

'Emily?' she asks in confusion. Spencer grips her wrist and squeezed gently to communicate _not now_.

I turn slowly. The person that I was convinced I would never see again is standing there. My jaw drops. 'Oh. My. God'.

Her eyes meet mine, and I feel my breathing hitch. Her dark brown eyes still look at me in wonder. Paige slips her hand into mine, entwining our fingers. I felt reassured with Spencer behind us. 'Hi, Emily'.

My eyes widened, and I barely heard myself speak. 'Maya…'

Its always darkest before the dawn. That is so true. _Shit! What am I gonna do?_

**A/N: Just to clear up the title. I've always liked the expression. I think that it sums up the struggles that Emily has faced, particularly with coming out, and accepting that Paige wasn't ready to but offering to be her friend anyway.**

**That said, I'm still trying to work out how this story's gonna go, so if anyone has ideas for how they'd like the story to go, I'm open to all ideas.**


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